Letter from the Editor Regarding Anonymous PG Letter

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR REGARDING THE PG LETTER PUBLISHED IN THE APRIL EDITION OF THE SCROLL:

Dear Reader,

Over the past few days, the the editorial piece about PGs at Deerfield has inspired heated debate on campus. The piece, which was published in the April edition of The Scroll, can be found at: http://bit.do/pgoped. I generally believe that when Scroll articles stimulate conversation, it is a force for good. When students, teachers, and the administration discuss the articles, people come together, positive changes are implemented, and progress is made. However, in this particular case, there have been many unforeseen consequences.
There are a lot of common misconceptions circulating about the piece. First and foremost, letter was not written by a member of the Scroll Board. The piece, as indicated, was written by a current PG. By publishing the letter, The Scroll Board was in no way agreeing with any of the points it made. I believe that The Scroll is a unbiased platform for dialogue at Deerfield. It would be unethical for the editor of any newspaper to only publish pieces which align with his or her personal views. For that reason, I feel as though I would be abnegating my responsibilities as editor if I were to prevent a student or faculty member’s opinion from being voiced.
However, it has become apparent that many PGs on campus feel targeted by the letter. Although I believe everyone has the right for their opinion to be heard, The Scroll is not a place for attacking other members of the community. When we made the decision to include the piece, we came to the consensus that it was not an attack on PGs. Closely read, it may be recognized as a constructive piece directed at Deerfield admissions. That being said, I apologize to any students who feel hurt by the piece. That was never our aim.
Going forward, The Scroll will no longer publish anonymous letters under normal circumstances. That does not mean that we are no longer going to accept or publish feedback. It simply means that if you have an opinion you want to share, you must stand behind it with your name.
We would love to include a letter in the next issue expressing the other side of the PG debate. As always, please send any feedback (for publication or otherwise) to hcobbs@deerfield.edu.